Marble-shooting toy



(No Model.)

B. M. VE'LSOR.

MARBLE SHOOTING TOY.

Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

83. MKVM THE NAMNAL LrTNoaRAPHINQ COMPANY wnsmnawu, n. c,

ELIZABETH -M. VELSOR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. I

MARBLE-SHOOTING TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,295, dated April 17, 1894:.

Application filed March l5, 1893.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH M. VELsoR, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Toys;'and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in. the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in toys and more particularly to a gun or device for propelling or shooting marbles. In the game of marbles as now played the toy or marble used by the player is propelled by the thumb of the player. This manner of playmg the game injures the hands by the constant contact of the latter with the ground. The object of my invention is to obviate the above objection and it is accomplished by substltuting a mechanical device for propelling marbles, which will accomplish the same re-' sult as heretofore and at the same time require as much skill to direct the marbles as in the old way.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of myimprovement, showmg the same in a position ready to be operated and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same in its discharged position.

A represents the handle or stock portion of my lmprovement, which is preferably of the form shown in the drawings, but other forms of construction can be used to suit the different uses to which the device might be applied. To the bottom of the handle or stock A is rig- 1dly secured an alley or trough B preferably formed of thin sheet metal, into which the marble is placed. The front end of handleA at a point slightly above the upper edges of the alley or trough B is provided with a saw cut O, which latter is adapted. to receive and hold securely therein one end of a rubber band or other elastic material D.

A hole E is located in the lower part of handle A, or in other words the hole E is so located that it is about on a level with the Serial No. 466,10 l. (N0 model.)

upper edges of alley or trough B and is midway between said edges. This hole runs horizontally from rear to front and receives the rod F. The outer or rear end of rod F is hooked as at G, for the attachment of the free end of rubber band D. A stop or trigger H is pivotally secured to the front end of handle A, the lower end of said stop projects downwardly a sufficient distance to cover the hole E thereby preventing the passage of rod F through said hole, while the upper end of said stop or trigger projects upwardly a sufficient distance to admit of its being grasped inorder to move it out of engagement with the rod F whereby the latter is allowed to pass partially through hole E. The hooked end G of rod F also prevents the latter from entirely passing through hole E when the former is allowed to move forward.

The operation of my device is so simple that a very young child can become in a short while an expert marble player. The device can be used with success in any of the well known games of marbles and is operated as follows. The player loads his marble shooter by drawing rod F backward a sufficient distance to allow the lever or trigger to be moved to a vertical position, which operation closes hole E and I prevents the rod F from coming forward. The player then places the shooter on the ground after selecting the marble or marbles he wishes to attack, points the shooter "toward them, the toy or marble is then placed in the alley or trough and the lever or trigger thrown out of its vertical position, which operation uncovers hole E and allows the rod F to fly forward, the free end of which suddenly strikes the toy or marble and forces the latter in a straight line. The force imparted to the marble can be increased or decreased as desired by the change of rubber bands.

It will be seen that the alley or trough holds the marble in such a position that when the lever is thrown aside and the elastic band al lowed to contract that the free end of rod F will strike the marble about its center thus propelling it in practically a straight line.

It is evident that changes in the construc tion and relative arrangement of the several parts might be made Without avoiding myin vention and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A toy for shooting and propelling marbles consisting of a trough forming the lowermost portion of the toy, said trough constructed and adapted to rest fiat upon the surface upon which the game is played, a handle secured to the trough and projecting above the latter a sufficient distance to allow space for the operators fingers between it and the plane in which the trough is located, a spring actuated propelling rod located in rear of trough in position to force the marble forward, and a stop or trigger for controlling the rod, substantially as set forth.

2. A toy for shooting or propelling marbles consisting of a trough forming the lowermostportion of the toy, said trough constructed and adapted to rest flat upon the surface upon which the game is played, a handle secured to the trough and projecting upward therefrom and thence rearwardly to allow space between it and the lowermost surface of the toy for the operators fingers, a spr ng actuated rod having sliding connection with the lower end of the handle in a plane parallel with the trough, and a stop or trigger pivoted to the handle in position to engage and hold the rod in readiness to propel the marble, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELIZABETH M. VELSOR.

Witnesses:

GEORGE VELSOR, WILLIAM A. DIKEMAN. 

